Sword Insight

"My sparring partner?" I repeated it, just in case I heard him wrong.

I mean, at a single glance, seeing that he was one-handed and all…could he actually be eligible to spar with me?

I didn't want to be rude or anything towards him.

Now that I had a closer look, this man was not so simple looking. His eyes were fierce and gave off a seeming of seniority when he faced me. Wu was without a doubt, someone that could rival my father in terms of presence. As for his strength and talent, that I could not scope without actually witnessing it before my eyes.

"Why not? I feel rusty and could use some exercise."

He slipped out of his pockets a lengthy string and stretched it out towards me.

"Would you mind tying my hair for me?" as he flailed his neck-long red hair.

I felt obliged and complied. He should cut it short in my opinion, now that he was no longer able to tie it on his own. But who am I to judge anyway since it was my doing that his and the others' fates were upturned as such.

His brownish eyes kept their sights about on me when I finished with his hair. I was not certain why the need for such an obvious investigation when he hadn't even began taking positions.

And he had no weapon either.

"Do you have a sword of yours?" I asked since he was disinclined to do it himself after a long minute of an awkward staring contest. "Or do you want me to lend you one of mine?"

"I would have to trouble the young master with a weapon" he cupped his fist, "this one's sword was left back home."

Fortunately for him, the haul from the bandits was quite fruitful and I had several weapons in my possession. As a safety measure, I always carried them around in two or more space bags just in case I was deprived of the short sword during an unexpected encounter like that one night.

I laid out to him every single item I robbed off the corpses. There must have been at least two dozen or more, excluding the one I wielded.

"Woah. Quite the collection you have" Wu walked over to the display and contemplated a little bit. "I'll have this one then."

A broadsword, normal and standard, was his pick. Easy enough for me to consider I presume.

He lashed a few swings so as to get a proper feel of it and administer its weight. Shui Wu was a natural when it came to the wielding of the sword as what I saw was no exaggeration of talent. His moves were subtle, fierce and silently nimble altogether, something even I struggled with for a while back in the day.

But who was I to judge the norms of this mysterious world anyway. For all I know, swinging swords could be similar to using toothpicks for them as I was about to find out shortly.

"Okay, young master. I'm ready."

I spaced my legs and held the short sword leaning diagonally as I was trained to do so. My free hand accompanied the first and was open-palmed, just underneath the sword's pummel.

My sparring partner widened his eyes and I saw an eyebrow shoot up after witnessing my moves.

"Did you come up with this stance?" and he got into one of his own, a stance that I deduced to be without opening when he got into it. "Never seen it before."

"Kind of" my lips curled, not knowing what to actually explain. "I hope senior can enlighten me and exchange pointers."

"Very well. To test it, I'll be the first to make a move."

"W-What—"

He left me no room for pondering. In a quick dash, the distance that was between us both was covered in a single bounce.

The sound of the clanking rebounded in an echo across the nearby forest. I held my own for the time being though the man most certainly held back his strength. With such speed and momentum, had he launched his actual attacking force, then not only would my blade break but I would find myself flying in the opposite direction.

Where we clashed, my feet sunk in the dirt from the sheer push.

"A nice interception" he parried my weapon away and forced my limbs to move as he wanted. "But you see, you're now full of openings."

His broadsword stopped mid-air and dropped down to my waist, where I quickly swivelled my own in an upside-down grip to block it. I wasn't sure how I did it even though I had failed countless times in my trainings up until now, each time, the hilt slipping from my hand.

I managed to block it, twist and adjust my posture once again, while he stared, awestruck.

"Hoh. A very nice move…" he then frowned a little, "I didn't expect a kid like you to have such keen battle senses."

Shui Wu kicked me in the stomach and pushed me back. I didn't notice this one coming and took it head-on.

What a simple but fearsome kick…

I retained my urge to hurl. Even with one hand, this guy was with a bigger advantage over me. His posture, regardless of a missing arm, appeared to allow no possible openings however long I strategized.

I'm too weak…

Even with the abundance of knowledge from my past life, I could not fight off a single disabled cultivator. My age was not even an excuse for me. I was severely disappointed by how my performance had been up until now.

I had to remedy that fact. No, I needed to.

"It's your turn now" using the fingers of his wielding hand to signal a taunt.

Unbeknownst to him, I was more than mature enough to avoid getting caught in such baseless and childish tactics. Keeping my cool, I worked up the will to initiate an attack of my own.

"Here I come" I announced, pouncing off the dirt and unto him.

My agility had been exceptionally developed at this point and without the use of the movement technique, which I had yet to master, the distance between us was covered.

Although not as fast as he was (obviously), I was no short of speedy in the attempt.

Wu did not flinch, nor seemed to favour a direction in which to counter, so my natural approach to force him in choosing one and exploit it was a go.

As luck would have it, he had a left missing arm. Meaning that if I focused enough on the right and broke his defence successfully, the left side of his body was totally unguarded against anything I threw at him.

The only supporting factor was my dexterity. Everything played on it.

"Oh?" he blocked my strikes as I intended him to do. "I'm surprised you didn't attack my left side."

Of course I didn't. I'm not as narrow-minded as the other brats of my age.

One, two, three…seven, eight and nine.

Upon my ninth blow, I kicked Wu's wrist, dropping his weapon, bluntly struck his kneecap with the pommel of my sword and spun around to finally hit his unguarded area. All of this went too fast that even my mind barely kept up with my actions.

His waist was mine for the taking…

"Shit!" he slipped, before forming two fingers with his hand. "Essence Burst!"

Before I relished in my well-earned victory, a violent wave of qi swept me off my feet and away from my disarmed target. I rolled away on the dirt, my weapon yet in hand as I learned from my past mistake, and although a bit shocked and hurting, stood back on my feet immediately.

The other party was as flustered as I was and even more. He huffed and breathed heavily, his fingers still up after his technique.

If he hadn't used this…thing…then most evidently, my sword would have met with his flesh on that occasion.

"It's my loss" he whimpered, shivering and now back on his feet. "I cheated and used a technique."

Hearing this, I lowered my weapon and let it slip down. I followed it and sat, exasperated and checking myself for any injuries met with my fall. Fortunately nothing but scratches and bruises.

"These are one hell sets of moves you got there, young master. Not to mention, I like the way you think".

Shui Wu walked towards me, frolicking and rubbing his sore wrist on the side of his belt as he had no other hand.

He joined me and fell with a long suspired groan that was unfit of his normal voice.

"You're a natural at fighting."

(Psh! You have no idea.)

I peered at him for a moment. He was smiling…or perhaps smiling was too small of a word for what his cheery aspect projected.

"Did you learn them by yourself?" he was adamant to inquire.

"No" I sighed and laid back on the plot of grass. "I watched some guy fighting and imitated him."

My statement just now was not entirely a lie. While those moves were not something I saw another fighter perform, they were not mine to claim and were taught to me by a former instructor of the covert operates.

I kind of miss that grouchy man's temper. His rowing was the highlight of our force's week.

God, I miss those days so much.

(I've been relying on the word god very often and for so long now. I've changed…)

I can say I had fun during this exchange, but truth be told, I wasn't satisfied by the outcome. Regardless of what technique he used, the old me would be successful in landing that final blow.

How disappointing…

"You know" Wu started anew and woke me up from my remembrance, "those moves are not really fit for a child. They are most adequate for an adult or perhaps a tall teenager."

My face scowled, and I went upright to look at him when he was assessing the fight.

"If you had longer legs, broader shoulders, keen eyesight and more flexible wrists" he paused and gulped, "I fear this one would stand no chance even with the use of my technique."

"So, what you're saying is—"

"This Wu thinks it is appropriate if you set this sword style aside and focus on one that is more adequate to your body. For now at the very least."

Of course!

I've been dead set on retrieving my old glory that I failed to notice this simple but little factor. It was no use how many times I trained this sword movement, as long as I was still a child, then I would never be able to perform its full potential.

My mind went blank for a second after this realization.

Something stirred my consciousness and forced me to enter a state of meditation.

"That's why, I'm more than willing to teach you the style I use. It can be practiced by all ages—"

He noticed me in my trance-like condition.

I was seated, my legs crossed, eyes closed and my consciousness flowing freely. I was unresponsive and did not answer when spoken to.

"By the—" his jump was filled with excitement. "I can't believe it!"

Shui Wu was even more exhilarated now and revelled in what was happening to me right now.

"I'll protect you for now…" he placed the sword on his lap and sat beside me. "I won't let anyone disturb your assimilation."

But the member of the water clan was still in disbelief.

He was nothing short of dumbfounded that after only a few words of his part, I had received insight. His future was not simple and possibly full of opportunities.

"It'll be a good experience sticking by your side, young Lei Ba!"

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*Check the very first chapters at the very beginning for the Index*